Okay so technically Sonny Weems no longer plays in the NBA, at least for the next season, but his new work, posted on twitter, is worth investigating. Also here’s a photo of his back piece from earlier in the summer, I really like the work-in-progress feel with the original photo, the transfer, and the actual tattoo all in the frame.
Every Team’s Got One: Atlantic Division
About one-sixth of NBA players have a tattoo of a basketball. It makes sense, lots of people commemorate their passions via tattoos: cyclists, chefs, shredders, LL Cool J. Still, what’s amazing is that every team has at least one player with a basketball tattoo, even the Hornets, who only have two tattooed players. Basketball tattoos range from iconic (Jordan jumpman; NBA logo), to narcissistic (Carlos Boozer’s self portrait), to symbolic (basketball wearing a crown, basketball meshed with a cross), to weird (Rip Hamilton’s gravestone). Going division by division, Every Team’s Got One will sort out the the highlights across the league, starting here with the Atlantic division.
Boston Celtics
Shaquille O’Neal:
New Jersey Nets
Damion James:
Deron Williams:
New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony:
Chauncey Billups:
Jared Jeffries:
Philadelphia Sixers
Andre Iguodala:
Toronto Raptors
Sonny Weems:
Toronto Raptors, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Raptors are an international team with an international roster, including players from France, Nigeria, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Lithuania. American players are far more likely to have tattoos than non-Americans, and a majority of the un-tattooed players on Toronto are from Africa and Europe. However, they do have two of the undeniably rare tattooed foreign players.
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Players with tattoos:
Alexis Ajinca
Ajinca has a tattoo below his right ear that, as he explained to a reporter in 2010, is ” a symbol that means, ‘The great talent sent from God.’” Apparently it is also the logo for the TV series Heroes, a drama about mutant children.
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless has a massive backpiece, which he describes as, “a college mistake, I regret it every day.”
Ed Davis
Davis came into the league with heavy coverage of both arms, a rarity in the 2010 rookie class.
DeMar DeRozan
Among DeRozan’s tattoos is a tribute to his grandmother, which he discussed in a 2010 profile: “[Points to his right forearm] This one right here, for my grandmother. I got it done right after last season after she passed. She meant a lot to me — it was only right that I [commemorate her] like that.”
Reggie Evans
Evans has tattoos along both arms, including his mother’s name—Janie—tattooed along his left forearm.
Amir Johnson
His tattoo buddy Sonny Weems posted a photo of Johnson in the tattoo chair on Twitter, and a few hours later posted a detail of the finished design.
James Johnson
Johnson almost sounds defensive when describing his tattoo choices: “All my tattoos mean a little something. I’m not going to put something on myself that doesn’t mean anything. I have a big family so a lot of my tattoos have to do with my family or my religious beliefs.”
Sonny Weems
Clearly a tattoo enabler, not only does Weems accompany his teammates to the tattoo shop, but he occasionally has his artist set up in his house for tattoo parties.
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Joey Dorsey
Sundiata Gaines
Linas Kleiza
Julian Wright
Okay so technically Sonny Weems no longer plays in the NBA, at least for the next season, but his new work, posted on twitter, is worth investigating. Also here’s a photo of his back piece from earlier in the summer, I really like the work-in-progress feel with the original photo, the transfer, and the actual tattoo all in the frame.
Every Team’s Got One: Atlantic Division
About one-sixth of NBA players have a tattoo of a basketball. It makes sense, lots of people commemorate their passions via tattoos: cyclists, chefs, shredders, LL Cool J. Still, what’s amazing is that every team has at least one player with a basketball tattoo, even the Hornets, who only have two tattooed players. Basketball tattoos range from iconic (Jordan jumpman; NBA logo), to narcissistic (Carlos Boozer’s self portrait), to symbolic (basketball wearing a crown, basketball meshed with a cross), to weird (Rip Hamilton’s gravestone). Going division by division, Every Team’s Got One will sort out the the highlights across the league, starting here with the Atlantic division.
Boston Celtics
Shaquille O’Neal:
New Jersey Nets
Damion James:
Deron Williams:
New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony:
Chauncey Billups:
Jared Jeffries:
Philadelphia Sixers
Andre Iguodala:
Toronto Raptors
Sonny Weems:
Toronto Raptors, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Raptors are an international team with an international roster, including players from France, Nigeria, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Lithuania. American players are far more likely to have tattoos than non-Americans, and a majority of the un-tattooed players on Toronto are from Africa and Europe. However, they do have two of the undeniably rare tattooed foreign players.
—
Players with tattoos:
Alexis Ajinca
Ajinca has a tattoo below his right ear that, as he explained to a reporter in 2010, is ” a symbol that means, ‘The great talent sent from God.’” Apparently it is also the logo for the TV series Heroes, a drama about mutant children.
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless has a massive backpiece, which he describes as, “a college mistake, I regret it every day.”
Ed Davis
Davis came into the league with heavy coverage of both arms, a rarity in the 2010 rookie class.
DeMar DeRozan
Among DeRozan’s tattoos is a tribute to his grandmother, which he discussed in a 2010 profile: “[Points to his right forearm] This one right here, for my grandmother. I got it done right after last season after she passed. She meant a lot to me — it was only right that I [commemorate her] like that.”
Reggie Evans
Evans has tattoos along both arms, including his mother’s name—Janie—tattooed along his left forearm.
Amir Johnson
His tattoo buddy Sonny Weems posted a photo of Johnson in the tattoo chair on Twitter, and a few hours later posted a detail of the finished design.
James Johnson
Johnson almost sounds defensive when describing his tattoo choices: “All my tattoos mean a little something. I’m not going to put something on myself that doesn’t mean anything. I have a big family so a lot of my tattoos have to do with my family or my religious beliefs.”
Sonny Weems
Clearly a tattoo enabler, not only does Weems accompany his teammates to the tattoo shop, but he occasionally has his artist set up in his house for tattoo parties.
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Joey Dorsey
Sundiata Gaines
Linas Kleiza
Julian Wright
